Geting crazy

[BuffaloBill]

Hey Guys
A lot of you made the statment that "when its your time it is your time" Makes a lot of sense We cannot control others only what we do as riders I am not giving riding up but this morning riding into work I found myself paying extra attention at the intersections when going thru. I am sure I will continue to ride but Safety will be the utmost on my mind as always.

Thankks to all for the feedback it has helped ease my mind.

Ride Safe
BuffaloBILL

 

[fiveoh455]

I've been a Police Officer for 23 years. I've seen alot of accidents involving motorcycles. However, I can say with confidence that the vast majority of these accidents were caused by the motorcycle rider, due to recklessness or extremely high speeds, as well as inexperience. My point is, if you ride with caution, and you are responsible, your chances of being in an accident are greatly reduced.

 

[mnultra]

All The Gear, All The Time!!

Let's do what we can to protect ourselves.

Hearing about any of our two (or three) wheeled brothers or sisters involved in an accident hits home. My thoughts and prayers are with whomever the rider was, and with you BuffaloBill.

 

[TQuentin1]

BuffuloBill, Dr. D and the rest of you folks,

Very sorry to hear about your traumatic events. That is tough to go through, and certainly makes one stop and wonder if it is really worth the risk. That, of course, is a personal decision for each of us.

Lots of stats out there on the internet. Here are a couple that seem to have data through 2006. First one was a study and identifies a lot of "reasons for" type info. This is the Hurt study analyzing accidents in the Los Angeles area of California. The most shocking of those is that 3/4s of the accidents studied involved collision with another vehicle, which was most usually a passenger automobile. In 2/3rds of these, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle's right-of-way and caused the accident! That makes almost 50% of the accidents studied that involved other vehicles were the cage drivers' fault!!

Motorcycle Safety Statistics: Crash, Fatal Bike Accidents

http://www.dmv.state.ne.us/highwaysafety/pdf/TSFMotorcycle2006.pdf

The other day I was riding to Barnes and Nobles after dropping my daughter at practice. I was riding the right-hand lane of a four-lane divided road. A Lincoln MKX or similar to my left front suddenly swerved right to jack-rabbit in front of the SUV he was tailing. This was all at about 40mph. I had to veer right and brake hard to avoid getting clipped. He must have seen me at the last minute and swerved back into his lane. When he pulled ahead and realized the lane had opened up, he did pull into the right lane and bolt up to the STOP sign laughing and joking with the three other teenagers/twenty-somethings in the car (couples). I pulled up next to him, and using some descriptive expletives suggested that he pay more attention.

He then proceeded to shadow me slowing up anytime he got ahead, or rushing up when behind. I'm sure this was to impress his posse with how tough he was. I finally got to the stop sign at the mall enterance, and he pulled up next to me and said something about me disrespecting him! I indicated that he had seriously disrespected me by almost clipping me, recited the stat above and indicated that no amount of "I'm sorry" would have helped if he had hit me!! Then I rode off on my merry way.

Shame you just can't shoot some people no matter how tempted. It would certainly improve the gene pool.

:mgun

TQ

 

[Mickster]

To echo FiveOh455, from a retired LEO's point of view. We can petition congress to legislate for safer roads, safer motor vehicles, and tougher laws, but we can't create from birth a so called "safe driver". As a police "first responder" and a former combat medic, I've seen enough blood, loss of skin, compound fractures, ripped off feet & legs, and split skulls on our highways, to not even want to get up in the morning. But I love riding my scooter way too much so, "if it is to be, it is up to ME" ... we just have to drive so we can be seen (front & back) ... and we can add special spot lights, we can add flashy LED brake lights ... those seemingly insignificant things I CAN DO to keep myself safe. But I do agree, when the good Lord says "enough, your work is done" thats all we can do. THANKS for stopping to render aid! You saw somethin' ugly, and came out a Hero!

 

[phatch]

Out here in South Africa helmets are compulsory. Although they can be a real pain to wear, there is merit to them I guess - especially given that most times it's the other guy in the car/SUV/etc. causing the accident.

 

[martillo]

Sorry you had to witness such a scene,dont know how many cager's would have stopped and helped. I try not to ride in city traffic any more than necessary, I like to hit the rural roads as much as I can. I would ask you other riders with lots of seat time, how much worse conditions with cages have gotten since all drivers seem to have a cell phone stuck to their ears!

 

[Lancer]

I've been a Police Officer for 23 years. I've seen alot of accidents involving motorcycles. However, I can say with confidence that the vast majority of these accidents were caused by the motorcycle rider, due to recklessness or extremely high speeds, as well as inexperience. My point is, if you ride with caution, and you are responsible, your chances of being in an accident are greatly reduced.

I agree 100%, I fly a EMS Helicopter for the local hospital. Most motorcycle accidents are self induced. Seems like alcohol and high speed is the common combination. Your last sentence is right on the money.

 

[mrkihn]

The 1st week I started riding back in 1980 I saw a car take out a biker on a Sportster. I was on my Old school Triumph at the time, it gave me a quick lesson on how venerable we really are. Then in 1985 I was hit while on my brand new low rider. That took about a 1/2 year out of my life but I got back on .Since then I seen a lot of brothers killed for the love of the wind in their face.
In 2000 my own brother Killed by a ignorant cager. Then I thought stopping but
but my love for the ride wouldn't let me do it.
During last riding season I had so many close calls that it got me wondering
but now I pray that if I'm meant to go down hard again , it's over with quickly.

I alway tell friends and family if I'm killed riding my motorcycle you will at least know I died with a smile on my face

 

[mrkihn]

I agree 100%, I fly a EMS Helicopter for the local hospital. Most motorcycle accidents are self induced. Seems like alcohol and high speed is the common combination. Your last sentence is right on the money.

I just became a EMT
When I was going through my training and ride time, Many of the EMS workers told me in our area it seemed 75% of all car - motorcycle accidents were the car fault. Yes and I read the same thing in the news.
Maybe things are different where you are from but in my area it seem to be getting a lot worse with cagers.